This invention relates to mounting plates and particularly to plates for mounting accessories to panels in vehicles.
Traditionally, vehicle accessories such as interior lights and the like were rigidly fastened through the headliner or door panel to metal brackets or C-channels spot welded or otherwise rigidly fastened to sheet metal components of the vehicle passenger compartment. The headliners and/or door panels were often made of flexible material which was partially held in place against the interior panel by the accessory. Because of a trend to make vehicles lighter in weight, many of the C-channels and other mounting brackets were removed from the vehicle. The headliners and/or door panels were then made more rigid to remain in place with the aid of adhesive beads. Although the strength and/or rigidity of panels within the vehicle have been improved, they are still unable to provide the sole mounting surface or substrate for many vehicle accessories.
Associated with the removal of the metal brackets or C-channel used to hang the interior lines and accessories, vehicle designers/manufacturers were limited as to the location of many accessories, most of which were moved to locations where sufficient sheet metal was available to receive the accessory. Designers and engineers lacked a panel assembly which could have the accessories installed quickly at any one of a number of locations independent of sheet metal or channel support. Moreover, the manufacturers did not have a headliner or other interior panel which could be preassembled and shipped.
Efforts to attach accessories to conventional semi-rigid or structural panels require special tools and are difficult to attach since access is needed to both sides of the panel. Extra manpower is needed, particularly when dealing with large area panels such as headliners, because an individual cannot reach both sides of the panel simultaneously to secure the accessory. This results in a slow cycle time for each piece and is inefficient. Lastly, the mounting technique for the accessories did not permit the mounting plate to have a dual function, that is, provide the housing for the accessory or act as the mounting surface for another accessory.